Antiviruses and VPN applications are one of the whitest and most stable verticals in CPI arbitrage. Payments of $2–10 per installation, no problems with moderation, content lives for weeks and months. YouTube Shorts in 2026 has become an ideal platform for promoting VPNs and antiviruses - the format of a short educational video about cybersecurity attracts millions of views.
Why VPNs and antiviruses are an ideal vertical for YouTube Shorts
- White niche. VPN and antiviruses are legal products. YouTube does not remove reviews or recommendations. Accounts live for months
- High CPI. $2–10 per install - significantly higher than games ($0.30–2) or utilities ($0.50–2)
- Constant demand. “Do you need a VPN”, “the best antivirus 2026”, “how to protect your phone” - evergreen queries
- Scalability. The format “5 best VPNs” or “How to protect data” can be adapted for different GEOs and audiences
Offer types
VPN applications
CPI per install: $2–10. CPA per subscription/trial: $15–30. RevShare: 20–40% of subscription. Top offers: NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost. For mobile: Atlas VPN, Proton VPN.
Antiviruses (desktop)
CPI/CPA for download + installation: $3–12. CPA for trial activation: $15–30. Norton, McAfee, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, ESET are the main advertisers.
Mobile antiviruses
CPI $1–3 per install. Avast Mobile, AVG, Malwarebytes, Lookout. Massive traffic, especially from Tier-2/3 GEO.
Password managers
CPA $5–15 per registration. LastPass, 1Password, Dashlane. Niche but growing segment.
Creative formats for YouTube Shorts
“How to protect...”
“How to protect your phone from viruses in 30 seconds”, “How to protect data on public WiFi”, “How to hide your browser history from your provider”. Format problem→solution. CTR: 4–8%.
“Top 5 best”
"5 best VPNs in 2026", "3 free antiviruses that really work." Collection format. Lives longest in YouTube recommendations.
“You didn’t know that...”
“90% of people don’t know that their WiFi can be hacked in 10 seconds”, “Your ISP sees EVERYTHING you do.” Provocative hooks + solution (VPN/antivirus). More details about hooks can be found in article about formulas for the first 3 seconds.
Screencast review
Screen recording demonstrating the VPN/antivirus interface: connection speed, DNS leak test, virus check. Peer review format. The highest conversion is 15–25% of the transition.
When scaling across multiple accounts, each review should look unique. 360° Uniquizer creates unique versions of screencast videos by changing visual and audio parameters.
GEO
- US: maximum CPI ($5–10). Huge audience, interest in cybersecurity
- Germany, UK: CPI $4–8. GDPR increases interest in VPN
- Brazil: CPI $2–4. Growing interest in cybersecurity
- Turkey, Iran: CPI $2–5. VPN is necessary to bypass blocking. Huge demand
- India: CPI $0.50–2. Mass market, low payouts, but huge volumes
Errors
- False promises. “VPN makes you invisible” is not true, it causes negativity. Talk about real possibilities: encryption, bypassing blocking, hiding IP
- One format. Mix: reviews + hooks + top 5 + screencasts. The same type of content burns out in 2–3 weeks
- Ignoring YouTube SEO. Title, description, tags, hashtags - YouTube Shorts are indexed in search. More details in article about analytics
Reviewed and updated
Quick answers
Where should I start with this guide?
Record the baseline and choose one test goal. Change one factor at a time, then compare results over the same time window.
Why do I need unique video versions in this workflow?
Each account needs a separate file. 360° Uniquizer changes the visual layer, audio and metadata so the platform receives a new technically unique version without manual editing for every upload.
What affects reach besides the file itself?
The hook, retention, offer-audience fit, account history, content rights and platform compliance. A unique file solves the technical scaling step; the creative and funnel still need testing.
Official platform sources and policies
Check the current rules before launch because platform policies and interfaces change.